


Part As Friends

by KillThemWithCandy



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bilbo kills Azog, But brute force still hurts, Especially when you're fighting something three times your size, Mithril can stop a blade, Non-Canonical Character Death, Thorin survives BotFA, sad fic, Óin explains why things happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-22
Updated: 2015-01-22
Packaged: 2018-03-08 15:48:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3214763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillThemWithCandy/pseuds/KillThemWithCandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin was there, leaning over him.</p>
<p>Bilbo smiled, "Thorin...."</p>
<p>"Bilbo, what have you done? Oh, Bilbo.... You'll be alright. You should've stayed safe, you fool."</p>
<p>Bilbo took a shaky breath, "So glad.... I found you.... I want to-" he coughed, barely turning his head away so the blood wouldn't splash against Thorin's face, "I want to apologize.... I shouldn't.... shouldn't have taken the Arkenstone...."</p>
<p>"No, no, Bilbo, you did only as a true friend would. It is I who should apologize for my deeds."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Part As Friends

When the Orcs from the North came at him, Bilbo was quick to move away, just barely ducking under a blow that would've smacked him right on the head. He watched at Dwalin fought them off, knowing that there was nothing the fierce warrior couldn't handle.

Where was Thorin?

His mind was already weak with the dragon sickness and seeing Fíli fall. He wouldn't be as strong as Dwalin. He would be open.

His feet moved before he knew they were. He had to find Thorin.

His eyes landed on the pale Orc and recognition spread across those scarred features. Yes, Azog remembered him from when he saved Thorin.

Thorin. Where was Thorin?

The pale Orc was coming at him. Obviously, he was not happy about the events that transpired when they first met.

Bilbo was quick to duck under and away from Azog's blade, making his way onto the ice. He noticed several other Orcs, many already dead with arrows through them. Kíli or the Elf Prince? He didn't have time to figure out, as Azog was quick to come after him once again.

His mind ran fuzzy as he deflected and ran from every attack. His arms were tired. He needed to find Thorin.

"Bilbo!"

He distantly heard his name. Was it distant? It sounded distant, but then, everything sounded distant. He felt something against his shoulder and turned to see his coat had been ripped, but the armor he wore held fast.

_No blade can pierce it_  Thorin had said.

Bilbo looked up at Azog, who had withdrawn his blade with a snarl and was making to swing at him again, and ducked down, diving under the blow, and swiped his own sword across the Orc's middle. There was a grunt of pain, or was it a cry? Bilbo felt something hit his back, but against his armor protected him and he moved out of the way.

But then another blow came, not piercing but knowing the wind from him as the blade Azog wore dug into his side.

His mind wandered to Bag End, to that first night, to the small fish Master Dwalin had stolen from him. He could practically taste the salt he'd so carefully lined across it....

Oh, no, that was the taste of _blood_.

Bilbo swung his blade again, this time catching Azog's shoulder, and he saw the pale Orc flinch in pain, but there was no noise to it.

He couldn't hear any noise but that annoying sound of rushing water. Perhaps the waterfall wasn't entirely frozen. Was that what he was hearing?

He ducked beneath another blow and finally, finally, dug his sword straight through the pale Orc's chest. He heard a groan or sorts, and the Orc fell.

He stood there for a moment, almost feeling triumphant, but then Azog's blade swung again, a final blow as he died, and caught Bilbo again on his right side. He fell to the ice immediately, only barely catching himself on his elbows, and saw how the pale blue of the frozen water was slowly pooling with red. Red.

Orc blood was black, so what could that be?

Oh. It was his blood.

He coughed, a new splatter of red falling to the ice, and he fell onto his side.

Thorin was there, leaning over him.

Bilbo smiled, "Thorin...."

"Bilbo, what have you _done_? Oh, Bilbo.... You'll be alright. You should've stayed safe, you fool."

Bilbo took a shaky breath, "So glad.... I found you.... I want to-" he coughed, barely turning his head away so the blood wouldn't splash against Thorin's face, "I want to apologize.... I shouldn't.... shouldn't have taken the Arkenstone...."

"No, no, Bilbo, you did only as a true friend would. It is I who should apologize for my deeds."

Bilbo just smiled, "You'll be a wonderful King. I know Bard will return your stone...."

"I don't care about that gem, Bilbo. You need to stay awake, don't you _dare_ close your eyes."

"I always admired you.... You'll be a wonderful King." Bilbo lifted a hand to gently caress Thorin's cheek, "I'm sorry I couldn't.... be of more use.... I hope you will forgive me."

"No, no, Bilbo, stay awake. Keep talking, _please_. I will fix you. You will be fine and you'll return to your home, to the Shire. To your armchair and your books, to plant your trees and watch them grow."

Bilbo paused and reached into his pocket, bring out the acorn, "This?"

"Yes, Bilbo. Yes, you'll plant it and it will grow tall and strong."

"Will you plant it for me?" He stifled a cough, "In Erebor?"

"I will do anything if you stay awake."

Bilbo chuckled, "The Eagles are comin'...."

Thorin glanced up, "Yes. We've won, Bilbo. The Mountain is ours, the people of LakeTown will get what they are owed, I'll even openly give Lord Thranduil his gems of starlight if you wish, just _stay awake_."

"Don't cry." Bilbo smiled, "'m just a Hobbit.... Nothing to cry over.... Go to your people. Be a good King."

Thorin let his tears fall as Bilbo's eyes dulled and breath stopped coming to his lips.

It was there that Gandalf found them.

It was there the Company found them.

Kíli was lost, Balin told him, and Fíli as well.

Everything was gone.

Thorin rested his head upon Bilbo's still chest and sobbed.

* * *

 

"The armor protected him from the blade, but Azog's strength was too much for the lad." Óin explained, "Too much internal damage. Nearly everything inside of him was broken. A war is no place for a Hobbit."

Thorin held Bilbo's blade in his hand- Sting, as the Hobbit had dubbed it- and slowly wiped the dried blood from it. "He will be buried with Fíli and Kíli." Thorin told him, "He deserves no less."

Óin nodded, "I'll tell Balin." He left the tent, leaving Thorin alone with the broken body of the Hobbit.

The one who had so bravely sacrificed himself so many times. The one who had given them food and shelter for a night despite how rudely they had barged into his home. The one who had faced a dragon for them, unwavering in his determination to help them reclaim their home.

The one who had brought a smile to their dark adventure.

Now he lay cold and broken, the life drained from his body.

Songs would be sung of this Hobbit. Songs of his bravery and deeds, songs of him kindness and warm heart.

Thorin stood and brushed a kiss to Bilbo's cold forehead and left the tent.

He had made a promise. The people of the lake would get what they were due and Thranduil would have his gems and Thorin would cast aside his pride and beg their forgiveness.

And perhaps, when he passed on into the other world, he wouldn't feel so guilty when he saw Bilbo Baggins again.


End file.
